Grab-bucket.



W. H. BOTTEN.

GRAB BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED Dc.22. 1914.

1,223,309. v y Patented Apr. 17,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Uwe rz T01".

XW/.my WMA/'4m -wp H. BOWEN.

GRAB ucKT. kAPPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. l9l4.

1,228.309. n f Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. H. BOTTEN.'

- GRAB BUCKET.

. APPLICATION FILED DEc.22. |914.

1,223,309. PaIenIed Ap1-.17,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Wi/W i ffm UNITED satATEs PATENT OFFICE.,

WILLIAM II.y BOTTEN, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO, AssIeNOE To THE OWEN BUCKETCOM- PANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OE OHIO.

GEAETCKET.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BOTTEN, aresident of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grab-Buckets, ofwhichthe following isa full, clear, and exact description. f

Thisy invention relates to grab buckets which are employed orfdiggingand for loading and unloading purposes, and has for its `main object toimprove the construction, efficiency and durability of buckets of thistype. f. e

One of the more specific objects is to improve the construction of abucket head `by providing a head composed of a less' number oi partsythan has been required heretofore and which by reason of its`construction is durable and not liable to get out of order or interferewith the operation of the bucket and the manipulation of the holding andclosing lines. Further the invention aims to provide an improvedheadwhich admits of a considerable yreduction in the amount of head roomrequired, especially in the distance between the vcenter `of .theholding sheave and the centerof the fupper yclosing block. n f' A still-further Iobject is to provide improved means for supporting the bucketjaws by providing bearings which have'long life, which can be lubricatedwithout danger of attracting sandk and other foreign particles liable tocut the bearings and bushings, and whichwill prevent the sO-calledlapping y of the jaws and keep thej aw edges in alinement. y i

The above and other Objects are accom-l plished by my invention whichmayl be brieiiy summarized as consisting in certainfl novel details ofconstruction and combinafi tions and arrangements of parts whichwill bedescribed in the specification andset forthy in the appended claims. i.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of thebucket looking toward one of the jaws, parts being in section; Fig. 2 isa similar view with the bucket turned 900, parts being in section; Fig.-l3 is a perspective view of they bucket head and some of the partsattached thereto g and Fig.`

Specification of Letters Patent.

ydesignated as a whole by the reference characterl. lThishead comprisesa single or unitary' headpiece or body 14 formed in one piece, thismember 14 consisting prefer` ablyiof a steel casting. The head piece isprovided with4 two laterally extending portions 15', each having a pairof downwardly Patented Apr. 17, 1917. i

Application Yled. December 22, 1914. Serial No. 878,630.

extending ears 16 between which are pivoted by means of pins 17 theupper ends of the arms 12 whichextend to the outer four cornersV of thejaws. The axes of these two pivoting pins 17 which are in alinement asindicated by the line 'A-A in Fig. 4 will be yregarded as the axis ofthe head piece. Projecting upwardly from the middle portion of the headpiece are two integral lugs or plates 18 which receive between them aholding sheave 19'which is rotatably supported between the plates orears 18 by a pin 20 and which receives a holding line 21, one end ofwhich is generally dead ended on a boom, andthe other end of whichextends to a suitable drum. It will be observed that this sheave isat-righty angles to the axis of the 'head piece, and that the axis ofthe sheave is in the same vertical plane with the axis of the headpiece.

Extending downwardly from the head pieoeand located between the twopairs of ears 16 upon which the arms 12 are pivoted are a series ofintegral lugs 22 which are arranged in parallel planes atan angle to theaxis A-A of the r'head piece. In this instance I` have shown three suchlugs 22 which receive between them and space apart the ksheave plates 23'of thev .upper closing block 24, the sheave plates being connected tothese lugs by a pair `of pins or bolts 25 which extend through thesheave plates and through alined openings in the lugs, these bolts andin consequence the axis of the closing block 24, being in this instanceat substantially 45v to the axis of the head piece. This upper closingblock 24 is in this instance provided with three sheaves 26 whichreceive the closing line 27. n

The head piece 14 is provided also with an integral lateral extension14@L projecting outward from one side of the head piece in a generaldirection at right angles to the axis A-A. This extension, which isprovided for the purpose of receiving sheaves and rollers for theclosing line, includes a pair of parallel ears 28 which arein planes atright angles to the axis A--A and constitute substantial continuationsof the ears 18, 18 which receive and support thefholding sheave 19.These ears 28 receive between them and' support a pair of lead sheaves29 for the closing line,` these sheaves being mounted upon a pair ofpins 30 which extend through alined openings in the ears. The lateralextension of the head' piece is provided also with transverse ears orflanges 31 which are parallel to each other and at right angles to theears 28, these ears or flanges 31 extending between or bridging thevertical ears 28, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. These ears orflanges 31 receive between them and support a pair of guide rollers 32for the closing line, these rollers being mounted on pins 32a whichextend into suitable openings 32b provided in the upper portions of theears or flanges 31. It will be observed that the transverse ribs orflanges 31 not only support the rollers 32, but constitute strengtheningand connecting ribsfor the vertical ears 28, thus providing thenecessary strength and rigidity to answer all requirements; It will beunderstood that the ribs 28 and 31 constituting the lateral extension,as above described, are all integral with the head piece 14.

The bucket closing tackle includes'in addition to the upper closingblock 24 and closing line' 27 a' lower closing block 33 composed of aplurality of sheaves 34, the number of which is greater by one than thenumber of sheaves in the upper block. The sheaves of the lower block arespaced apart by a number of sheave plates 35 in which the sheaves 34 aresupported by a pin' 36 extending, through alined openings in the sheaveplates 35. The lower block is securedv to the upper part of acounterweight 37 (to which the bucket jaws are connected, as will bedescribed), this counterweight having at the top a series of spaced lugs38 which receive between them and' space apart the lower portions of thesheave plates 35 of the closing block 33, these sheavek plates beingsecured to the lugs 38 by a bolt 39 whichy passes through alinedopenings in the series of lugs 38 and through alined openings providedin the sheave plates. It will be observed that the lugs 38 are on an.angle tothe axis of the counterweight and that the parts of the closingcable extending between the sheaves of the upper and lower blocks andbetween the guide sheaves 29 and one' of the end sheaves of the lowerblock 33 all have clear leads. 1t will be observed also that both theholding line and that portion of the closing line which extendsdownwardly through the closing line guide sheaves to the end sheave ofthe lower closing block are in the center plane of the bucket so thatthe bucket will stand plumb whetherit is 'supported by the holding lineor closingline.

Another important feature of my invention resides in the manner ofsupporting and pivotally connecting the hinges 11. Heretofore the hingeshave been mounted on the ends of a` shaft or pin which in a bucketof thecou'nterweight type as here shown' extended through the counterweight.That construction, however, had the disadvantage that the bearingsurfaces of the hinges were so small that wear necessitated the ratherfrequent replacement of the hinges. Additionally, it was found diliicultto maintainl the edges of the jaws in alinement andthe lubrication ofthe bearing surfaces attracted sand which cut the bearing surfaces.These disadvantages are overcome by my invention wherein the means forpivotally connecting the hinges together or to the counterweight 37consists of two concentric members, namely, a shaft 40 to the ends ofwhich the two hinges extending from one jaw are fastened and a sleeve 41which is somewhat shorter than the shaft and to the ends of which the'other two hinges are fastened'. Both the shaft and the sleeve extendthrough the counterweight, the shaft and sleeve having a suitably closeworking lit on each other, and the sleeve having a suitably closeworking lit in' the counterweight. The opening in the counterweight ispreferably recessed at two points, as shown at 42, this being providedfor 'the purpose of reducingfthe length of the bearing surface of thesleeve and counterweight and for lubricating purposes. The recesses arepreferably filled with a semi# solid ylubricating substance, andadditionally grease cups 43 may be provided to supply lubricant to theserecessed portions. In orderthat lubricant may find its way from theserecesses on to the inner bearing surfaces of the sleeve and shaft, thesleeve is provided with a number of lubricatingA openings 44.

By yfastening the two pairs of' hinges rigidly to the two longrelatively movable members, one of which has a bearing in the other andboth extendingthrough the counterweight very good bearings are providedforl these parts throughout the lifey of the bucket, and there ispractically no danger ot the bucket jaws lapping or getting out ofalinement as was heretofore the case it one corner of the bucket jawsywould close on a rock or other hard substance. Additionally,bylubricating the bearing surfaces from what may be termed the interiorof the structure, such a small percentage of the lubricant gets on theouter hinging parts that sand and grit will notbe attracted to .anymaterial extent and cut the bearings.l

While I have shown only the preferred construction I do not wish to beconiined to the exact details shown, but yaim in my claims to cover allmodifications which d'0 not involve a departure from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A head-piece fora grab bucket comprising a central portion provided with laterallyextending arms each having. downwardly extending ears, and said centralportion vprovided with a pair of upwardly extending ears; and withdownwardly extending ears symmetrically arranged with respectk to saidupwardly extending ears.

2. A head-piece comprising an enlarged central portion provided withlaterally extending arms each having downwardly extending ears, and saidcentral portion provided also with `upwardly extending ears adapted tosupport a holding sheave, with downwardly extending ears adapted tosupport a closing sheave; and with a third set of ears extendinglaterally from the middle portion said last setk of ears being adaptedto support guide-members for a closing line.

3. A head-piece for a grab bucket having laterally extending arms eachof said arms being provided with a 'pair ofdownwardly extending ears,the said pairs of ears being arranged symmetrically with respect to thecenter of the head; a pairk of upwardly extending ears arranged atsubstantially the center of the head and adaptedy to support a `closingsheave; downwardly projecting ears arrangedat substantially the centerof the head and adapted to support a closing block; and a pair oflaterally extending ears at right angles with respect to the arms forsupporting guides for a closing line.

4C. A head-piece for a grab bucket having laterally extending arms towhich bucket supporting arms are adapted to be connected; a plurality ofears extending downwardly from the head at the central portion thereof,said ears being arranged at an angle with respect to the longest axis ofthe head; a pair of upwardly extending ears arranged at substantiallythe center of the head and Aadapted to support a holdino' sheave; and

laterally extending ears which are substantially in line with the earsthat support the holding sheave, said laterally extending ears adaptedto receive a member which guides a closing line. Y

5. A head-piece for a grab bucket having anenlarged central portion fromwhich extend lateral arms each of said arms being provided with a pairof downwardly extending ears adapted to support bucket n downwardly fromthe enlarged portion of the head, said ears serving to support theclosing block; a pair of ears extending upwardly from the. enlargedportion of the head said ears serving to support a closing, sheave, allsaid arms and ears being symmetrically arranged with respect-to thecentral vertical axis of the head.

'7. A head-piece for a grab bucket having an enlarged central portion;arms extending from the said central portion for supporting bucket arms;a means extending downwardly from the4 enlarged portion of the head andserving to support a closing block; a means extending upwardly from theenlarged portion of the head and serving to support a holding line; andmeans for supporting guides for a closing line comprising ears extendinglaterally outward Jfrom the central portion and adapted to support guiderollers, and additional ears at right angles to and extending betweenthe first named ears and adapted to support other rollers.

8. 'In a bucket. the combination with bucket jaws and jaw supportingarms of a bucket head comprising a one-part headpiece having a middleportion; arms projecting laterally outwardly in the direction of themain axis of the head-piece said bucket-supporting arms being connectedto said arms of the head-piece; parallel ears extending upwardly fromthe head-piece at right angles to said axis; a holding sheave rotatablysupported between said ears; ears extending downwardly from thehead-piece and arranged in parallel planes at an angle to thesaid axissaid downwardly extending ears being directly beneath the upwardlyextending ears; a closing block supported by said downwardly extendingears; a closing cable reaved about the sheaves of said bleek; earsAprojecting laterally from the Closing line supported by said lastlmennlcldle portion of 'the head-piece and sub- 'tioned-ears. Y

stantially in `line with said upwardly proln testimony whereof,I'hereunto siliix my jecti'ng ears; lead pulleys for the closingsignature in the presence of two witnesses. 5 line supported betweensaid laterally pro- VIDLIAM H. BOTTEN.

jecting ears; additional ears extending be- Witnesses: tween and atright angles t0 said laterally A. F. Kwis, projecting ears; land guiderollers for the L. I. PORTER.

Copies of l'this patenttmay be obtained for ve cents ea`ch,by-a1ddressing the"-Co1`nmissoner ofPate'ts, Washingtn/Dc.

